At the time that WilkinsonEyre was invited to design this new factory and headquarters building, Dyson was one of the fastest growing companies in the UK. The new development therefore needed to embrace an extensive range of uses and be built and occupied in a rolling programme. Our original masterplan for the overall site optimised the layout of a range of functions whilst incorporating flexibility for future expansion.

The design created an exciting yet economical space with an undulating wave form roof which ‘floats’ above the trees, disguising the bulk of the factory.

The architecture is derived from a clear expression of the structure and a limited palette of materials, and is designed as repetitions of a standard module. New and existing buildings on the site are linked by an exciting crystalline cube, distinguished by a lightweight canopy, which contrasts with the ‘sheds’ either side and draws in approaching visitors.

Following the updated masterplanning exercise undertaken in 2012, WilkinsonEyre has now completed the first phase of the expansion to the Dyson campus in Malmesbury. The overall architectural concept for the updated masterplan follows the existing design philosophy of creating lightweight modern pavilions in a landscaped setting. Phase 1 comprises a new research and design development building (Dyson 9); a café; energy centre; new car park; sports facility and helipad.

Dyson 9, the new research and design development building, is conceived as a minimal, reflective glass pavilion within a sheltered rural landscape setting. The buildings cladding is formed of highly reflective glazed panels designed to obscure views into the building for security reasons while maintaining outward views and daylighting to the interior. The cladding also has the effect of making the building ‘disappear’ into the landscape by offering a mirror to the established surroundings.

Hangzhou International Expo Center is situated on the bank of Qiantang River. Its form is grand and exquisite, and rich in the implication “of Jiangnan”. To this date, it is the biggest, most advanced mega urban complex in China.

The Hangzhou International Expo Center covers 19.7 hectares, and has a gross floor area of 850,000 m2. The main architecture is composed of 5 above grade super structure and 2 below grade sub-structure. Its programs include conferencing, exhibition, dining, travelling, hotel, commercial, and office spaces, which makes it a truly diverse urban complex.

The Hangzhou International Expo Center is the Biggest, most influential, most complex and most culturally appealing among the many excellent conference and exhibition architectures designed by BIAD. It is the latest product over decades of research, learning, and sedimentation in BIAD Conference and exhibition architecture design.

Conference Area: As the main conference area, news center, and security center for the G20 Summit, the conference area is responsible for the reception of leading figures and visitors from many countries. The Urban Embassy Lounge (Leader’s Luncheon Room), 60 meters in diameter, including embassy lounge, 6 facilitating conference rooms, and 2 VIP lounges, is able to fulfill the highest level of reception. With 2,500 m2 in area and 36 meters of maximum ceiling height, the embassy lounge forms a top reception site with the meeting area, and can host both Chinese and western feast for 600 people.

Exhibition Area: The exhibition area covers 900,000 m2 including 10 exhibition halls and can accommodate exhibitions of different scale and categories. The special 10,000 column-less hall allows multiple purpose use including special exhibition, large gathering, sports and recreation, and can accommodate 4,500 international standard booths.

Offices and Hotels: Provides service for both the conference center and the city.

Service Area: Consist of logistics for major zones, accompanying commercial areas, storage and underground parking.

Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd is a large-scale state-owned architectural design and consulting institute established in 1949.

Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, Office of Conference and Exhibition Architecture is founded in 2008, with the core architects from the New China Exhibition Center as its members, forming a highly professional and specialized platform for design innovation.

Since the establishment of the office, the office designed both with and without collaboration 5 Mega Conference and Exhibition Center including Fuzhou Strait International Conference & Exhibition Center, Qingdao Olympic and International Expo Center, Hangzhou International Expo Center, China Coal Trading Center, Ordos Chess Plate Conference and Exhibition Center, with a total of 2,000,000 m2 of conference and exhibition architecture design.

Liu Mingjun is a deputy chief architect in Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, he holds a class 1 architect license, operating as the director for office of conference and exhibition architecture in BIAD, and is a member of the China Association for Exhibition Centers. Focus on exhibition and commercial building design.

AndArchitects successfully completed the development of Creasey Park Community Football Centre in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Employed by Central Bedfordshire Council, AndArchitects were appointed as the lead consultant and worked with a group of stakeholders consisting of Central Bedfordshire Council, Dunstable Town Council, Dunstable Town Football Club, AFC Dunstable, Brewers Hill Middle School, the Football Association (FA), Bedfordshire FA and the Football Foundation.

Acting as RIBA Client Advisors, AndArchitects’ role was vital in understanding and implementing this complex brief and developing the detail of the project to be able to allow for this single building to meet all the stakeholders’ needs.

Workshops with the neighbouring Brewers Hill Middle School and Dunstable Town FC had been programmed to take place throughout the design development stages to engage the Local Authority and the other key community organisations with the project and to develop a vision and long-term strategy. These workshops allowed the stakeholders to propose how and when they would use the facility, allowing us to design out conflicts. Designing the facility to be shared allowed an efficient and economic use of space, reducing the size of the building and its carbon footprint.

The new sports pavilion comprises of hospitality and recreational facilities for local schools as well as the wider community which was a key requirement for the long-term success of Dunstable’s learning, social and recreational development.

The building was designed to offer fully flexible space, using huge sliding partitions it can be one large hall or divided into three separate rooms accommodating all uses and serving all users. Whilst being on a tight budget this project used simple techniques to achieve an innovative design and unique identity to the building.

The external cladding features a mixture of western red cedar and an anti-vandal aluminium sinusoidal profile to the front and sides, with cedar to the rear facing the main pitch. The aluminium cladding has been installed at 45 degrees as it breaks up the long elevation and picks up changing reflections of light.

Sportium Santa Fe is located at the west side of Mexico City; the project is part of a mayor change and new image of the sports facility brand. For this new gym the proposal was a fresh and informal environment with open spaces that encourage sports coexistence among users.

The atmosphere of this project also evokes the industrial style, leaving slabs and apparent facilities, also walls with visual aids showing sporting images. It sought to create airy and open spaces, taking advantage of natural light at all times, which is mixed with lighting fixtures creating a complete balance.

A double-height lobby with natural light and a stunning green wall welcomes the visitors, which after passing the reception filter, can access to sports areas. The combination of materials like wood, polished concrete, glass and vinyl floors as well as the defined and asymmetrical design in floors and walls, lead the users through a clear route to the different spaces. This gym has cardio, integrated weight and free weights areas, 3 rooms for mixed-uses, semi-Olympic pool, 2 squash courts, a climbing wall, boxing ring, cross training room, stationary bikes, outdoor courts, playground, plus locker rooms with steam and sauna.

Rima arquitectura was able to create a well-organized space defining each area and creating an astonishing atmosphere that encourages the enthusiasm of the athletes who attend the gym.

Creative adaptations, a beautiful mess and plenty of great fun are the playful combination reflected in this building, designed by Studio PLP Co., Ltd.

SOI 16 is a pub and music venue in the famous night life street known as Walking Street in Pattaya, Thailand. Influenced by the essence of Thai architectural design, triple- gables are used as the main structure of the building, along with clay roof tiles lining the front gable. The check and stripy façade, borrowed from the pattern of the Pa Kao Ma (traditional Thai sarong), plays well with the mess of electricity wires in front of the site.

“Our intention was to make this building like a street Thai Sala, combining many fun Thai gimmicks and cultural characteristics,” the architect said.

Once visitors step inside, they are immediately notice the fun and cheerful atmosphere that was inspired by the lively environment of a traditional Thai fresh market. The seats are made out of fruit crates, the DJ booth is based on a truck that delivers fruit to the fresh market, while the tables are made from road signs. The kitchen and cashier areas are designed to look like market stalls, while the typography used throughout the club was inspired by the font used on the stickers that are ubiquitous to delivery trucks in Thailand. All of these quirky details reflect the fresh market theme.

The design of the club’s restrooms is influenced by market butchers, with white and red tiles, neon signs of meat, fish and poultry, and a general atmosphere like the interior of a giant fridge. The restroom signs are Sita and Hanuman, famous characters from the Ramayana.

Continuing the local theme, the stairs leading to the upstairs mezzanine section of the club feature iridescent metal railings inspired by the chrome motorcycles favoured by Thai teens. The upstairs Sports Bar features pool tables and booths designed like tuk-tuk seats, but in colours that are more contemporary and chic.

SOI 16 mixes and matches aspects of local Thai street culture in a fun and playful way. This idea is reflected in the first thing that visitors see from outside the club – the bright neon “Soi 16” sign amusingly clashing with the exterior architecture! The subtle and not-so-subtle details clash and combine to make a truly modern yet local space – a space that puts well-known local details into a new context, resulting in a fun, familiar yet surprising spot for socialising.

The point of the expansion of the established sports center was the desire to extend the offer to the increasingly popular sport of badminton. The spatial and operational connection to the existing infrastructure with reception, changing rooms and café was at the forefront of the design tasks.

Initial point of the design outline was the need to place the new building on the existing car park, south of the plot. In addition to the limited budget, a further challenge was the expeditious execution of the construction work, as this would severely affect and restrict the ongoing operations and the use of parking spaces.

As a primary goal, however, set by the building owners, was to create optimal conditions for the badminton game inside the hall. It soon became clear that a flat, open space to the surroundings would be created in the existing parking space, as opposed to a very high, enclosed space that would be housed in the interior of the hall. To meet the different requirements of the overlying spaces by appropriate means, we chose two specific construction methods. The supporting framework of the hall was a “table” of prefabricated, not insulated concrete – elements that could be installed at high stability in a very short time on site. The hall itself was designed as a steel skeleton with insulated cladding and optimized at the factory for fast assembly. The dimensions of the five adjacently arranged badminton courts defined the rhythm of the primary support structure, remaining readable both inside and out.

In the parking level, it was a priority for us to reach the structural requirements with the greatest possible transparency and respect to the surroundings. This led us to develop V- shaped supports, which take over the stiffening of the building in the transverse direction instead of shear walls or other obscuring measures. In the design of the hall, it was necessary to efficiently exploit the limited allowable building volume of the plot, from which the polygonal geometry of the building body emerged. The hall climbs just over the playing fields, meeting the clear height requirements, and falls down steeply to the side circulation area with the sitting benches. Thus, the build volume is actually generated only where it is essential. In order to achieve optimal game conditions inside the hall, experiences of professional players were obtained and their recommendations were implemented. The research revealed that the visibility of the shuttles (shuttlecock) is incr­­eased proportionally to the contrast of the background. To optimally pick up the bright ball from the wall, ceiling and floor, all inner surfaces of the hall were realized in matt, non-reflecting anthracite and the sports floor of the playing fields stained dark. The lighting complies with the requirements of professional standards and is continuously dimmable respectively on the right and left of the playing fields, assembled at an ideal height with filters against glare. On the sloping inner walls, printed textile surfaces are used for sound absorption and for labeling the courts. The connection of the overlaying upper floor to the existing infrastructure on the ground floor is via a newly created stairway.

Their railings were designed here with a specific pattern, at the entrance of the new building creating already a characteristic identity. Thus, the perforation of the balustrade panels represents the trajectories of Badminton`s basic strokes (Smash, Drive, Drop etc.) while saving weight and cost. On the east and west side of the sport hall, floor to ceiling picture windows are arranged. These offer to the players, on one hand, a glare-free view and on the other hand they give life and activate the environment with the activities of the hall. Since all train, main road and hiking path lead past directly in front of these windows, the gesture may be seen as an unobtrusive advertising for the sport.

The Nanterre Arboretum, built for BNP Paribas Real Estate and Woodeum, designed by the François Leclercq and laisné roussel architecture firms, provides a new way of working and conducting business. Firmly focused on environmental quality and integration of new ways of working, the Arboretum will be the largest project ever built from solid wood, worldwide. Construction for this project is set to start in 2018, with the objective of transforming an industrial wasteland into a 136,000 m² campus set in 9 hectares of parkland next to the Seine. The project as a whole is also the largest services sector project under development in Île-de-France.

The materials, the construction method, and the use and development of the buildings have all been designed with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the life of the campus and maximising its resilience. Use of bio-sourced materials, bioclimatic design and generation of renewable (photovoltaic and geothermal) energy make this site a true model of sustainable development, thus marking a new stage in the ecological transition.

In structural terms, the project’s landscaping is based on the natural dynamics of the terrain, while seeking to reconnect it to the wider landscape and integrate it into the virtuous action of enhancing sites and resources in the surrounding area (Parc du Chemin de l’Île and the Île Fleurie).

With its green spaces and aquatic environments, the Arboretum forms an additional link in the green and blue metropolitan district.

The site will retain its historic association with work, while adapting to new behaviours and new uses. The Arboretum offers a new way of experiencing business and thinking about work. The project consists of 5 office buildings (118,440 m²) of a new design created by the François Leclercq and laisné roussel studios. They add to the possibilities offered by the conservation and redevelopment of 2 heritage buildings that belonged to the old Papeteries de la Seine industrial site.

The renovation of the 7,360 m² of historic buildings of the Workshop and the Factory has been entrusted to the studio Hubert et Roy. The necessary functions for versatile use of premises are introduced into the existing structure whilst maintaining the volumes. These spaces are intended for mixed and shared use (public/ private). They will accommodate: sports facilities, cafeteria, food court, cultural activity centres, services blocks and digital center.

The architecture of the 5 independent office buildings is that of a campus focused firmly on environmental quality and integration of new ways of working into the building design itself. The Arboretum layout is based on a simple principle: each office has a direct relationship to the site’s landscaping. This relationship is reflected in the treatment of the open spaces. An “add-on space” creates a link between the work and landscape spaces: there are genuine outside terraces as a direct extension of the offices likely to offer opportunity for additional uses.

Each of the campus buildings runs along a curved line with a distribution of open spaces of different sizes staggered in a sawtooth pattern, offering a high level of flexibility. These open spaces, which can be modified as needed, will support the needs of the occupants at each stage of their development.

Given the way that the world of work is changing, the campus has now been established as a leading model for innovation and creativity. Users’ new expectations are radically changing the way in which management and workspaces are envisaged.

Offices are changing to offer more freedom, sociability and comfort, but also a new sense of harmony with the surrounding space. Changes to the interior requirements (shared uses, flexibility, reversibility) encouraging interaction, collaboration, the informal and spontaneous, are accompanied by outside features (meeting rooms, open-air amphitheatre, work pods).

These changes call for establishment of new and different approaches, introducing disruption and decontextualisation into everyday working life.

To avoid obsolescence, these new ways of working need to be integrated into the building design itself. Aesthetic coherence and innovation are the primary focus; the construction method is also a strong choice in terms of respect for the environment and control of impacts.

These offices will be built of solid cross-laminated timber (CLT), with innovative low-carbon technology developed by Woodeum.

By choosing not to use conventional reinforced concrete, the Arboretum is clearly established as a part of the ecological transition as well as being particularly warm.

In aesthetic terms, wood is the link between all the new architecture on the campus. It is this dialogue between raw materials and generous gardens that gives rise to the unique quality of the campus. As an exceptional case, the ergonomic and construction qualities of the design as a whole are all the more noticeable and valuable.

It should be noted that the buildings’ structures are particularly well optimised. The floor and ceiling thicknesses have been reduced as much as possible. Networks (electrical, air conditioning and heating, Internet) and acoustic flooring fit into minimal space.

As a result various aesthetic options are used to give style to the spaces.

The Arboretum is designed to offer individuals a sense of well-being (a comfortable acoustic and visual environment) as well as direct contact with nature. In sensory terms, first and foremost due to the physicality of the solid wood, and the unobstructed views provided by the tall bay windows, but also fragrances from the rarest of essential oils, from plants grown nearby.

The scale of the project also allows for development of a circular economic cycle based on urban agriculture. Employees will be able to be involved in initiatives to encourage biodiversity and sustainable development.

A large vegetable garden and orchard produce nearly 25 tonnes of fruit and vegetables per year. The produce, grown organically with no pesticides, will be used by the on-site restaurants. The compost will be produced locally using organic waste from kitchens on-site. Rainwater will be collected and used for watering.

About architecture

laisné roussel is an architecture studio created in 2003 in Paris. Partners Nicolas Laisné and Dimitri Roussel have been able to bring together a multicultural and multidisciplinary team working in the fields of architecture, urban development, research and development.

laisné roussel is internationally recognised, and has worked on a large variety of projects on a wide range of scales. The firm’s production ranges from individual houses to urban Master Plan.

]]>https://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-showcase/2017/07/16/la-defense-district-in-nanterre-france-by-laisne-roussel/feed/0426477Zhengzhou Grand Theater in China by The Architectural Design and Research Institute of Harbin Institute of Technologyhttps://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-showcase/2017/07/16/zhengzhou-grand-theater-in-china-by-the-architectural-design-and-research-institute-of-harbin-institute-of-technology/
https://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-showcase/2017/07/16/zhengzhou-grand-theater-in-china-by-the-architectural-design-and-research-institute-of-harbin-institute-of-technology/#respondSun, 16 Jul 2017 14:29:32 +0000https://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-showcase/?p=426248Article source: The Architectural Design and Research Institute of Harbin Institute of Technology

Zhengzhou Grand Theater, being the east part of city axis, is located in Zhengzhou Culture District as the best palace of performing arts in the Central Plains, will highlight the art of movement, and manifest the axis status of Zhengzhou in the Chinese culture with an architectural image unique to the Central Plains.

The architectural design concept of this project is: Yellow River Raving, A Dragon Wakes Up in Central China.

And it use Theater function framework and efficient traffic to create an Intensive, efficient, professional and practical grand theater. A horseshoe-shaped plane will be adopted for the auditorium of the opera house and the concert hall will have a shoe-box type narrow hall to provide rich early lateral reflective sound, which is economic and practical.

The Odeon three-dimensional acoustic particle analysis shows that all the four auditoriums can obtain rich early lateral reflective sound and a uniform sound field and achieve excellent sound quality effect through optimal configuration of building materials.

The spaces are compound and versatile, to be self-sustaining, and create a versatile, open and vital urban complex compound.

With the water dragon hall giving full consideration to various opening and closing modes, the grand theater, the drama theater and the multi-purpose theater to have an independent foyer area respectively to realize independent operation.

The multi-purpose theater will have a number of lifting stages and self-folding seats, able to realize a flat ground of 600 square meters to meet any requirements of performances, meetings, fashion shows and exhibitions, etc.

Over the multi-purpose theater will be a variety of conference rooms, with independent foyers provided to form a conference center through combination with the multi-purpose theater by utilizing the shared advantage of being close to business, office and star hotel resources. Commercial spaces will be provided on the first floor and underground and a three-dimensional art shopping and leisure center will be established to produce a scale effect and stimulate the tourism industry.

The architectural form will return to simplicity instead of a double-shell design to conform to the volume and height of the four halls, with a double-pane glass wall to be provided on the south side of the multi-purpose theater to realize natural lighting, with side curtain opening and closing utilized to meet the light, dark and acoustical requirements, etc. to advocate a new-generation green, economic and original “Sustainable” Grand Theater.

With a double-pane glass wall to be provided on the south side of the multi-purpose theater to realize natural lighting, with side curtain opening and closing utilized to meet the light, dark and acoustical requirements, etc.

The backstage will realize natural lighting and ventilation by relying on the external wall layout alone.

The architectural skin design will eliminate unnecessary decoration, with the design that combines necessary elements like structural components, glass wall sub-frame and sunshade metal mesh used to form dreamy skin with a unique Chinese classical charm and match the architectural characters of the grand theater.

Trying to create a cultural self-confidence, professional, efficient, open and green “sustainable” theater in the axis of city filled with culture.

Professor Mei Hongyuan is an academic leader in the cold regions engineering architectural design field of China, master of architectural design in China, candidate for the academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2013, Chairman of the ICCHA and Chairman of the Cold Regions Architecture Academic Committee of the Architectural Society of China. In the past 30 years, Professor Mei Hongyuan has been at the frontline of cold regions architectural design and scientific research in Northeast China, has innovatively developed cold regions architectural design theories, design methods and technical measures, directed the design of over 60 major architectural projects of various types, including exhibition, cultural, sports and educational buildings and undertaken 17 domestic and foreign scientific research projects, including China National Science and Technology Plan projects and European Union Research Plan projects. He has been granted one design award by the American Institute of Architects, two state-level architectural design gold awards, one silver award, eleven first prizes for provincial and ministerial-level excellent engineering design, one first prize for provincial and ministerial-level science and technology progress and one governor’s special award. He has taught one state-level boutique architectural course, obtained eight national invention patents, published 178 high-level academic papers which have been published by SCI and EI as well as 5 scientific monographs, and cultivated about 100 high-level cold regions architectural engineering technical talents. Professor Mei Hongyuan is a famous master of architect in contemporary China.

DOC intertwines the typology of a compact house – having a low environmental impact – with the specificity of a unique location: distributary channel Borcea . The location and the desire of a new type of dwelling – a floating, multifunctional, mobile house – imposed special and complex constructive conditions. The high water level variations of the river due to seasonal changes as well as budget conditioning have resulted in constructing a trailer like platform that can be relocated. The house is responding to site changes and changes with it. Mobility as the main feature of the construction dictated the simplicity of the designed space. Compact and with a simple, rectangular plan, the space gets a spectacular feel through the manner it integrates with the location, complimenting it. Amazing images are brought in everyday use through wide windows and patio. Although very open, the pontoon provides visual intimacy from the city through its positioning. Its multifunctionality of temporary housing and meeting point for water sports lovers opens up new perspectives and exploration angles for a forgotten and undiscovered area – the Danube river and the Calarasi area. The building process began taking into consideration the context, location and community by harnessing an existing and abandoned pontoon that has been adapted to current needs.

The project, meant for a bachelor with a penchant for sports and cycling and a passion for design, transformed a highly partitioned, ancient layout, dark apartment into an open-spaced two bedrooms home with a large living space and bespoke features.

These 60x60cm porcelain cladding continues into the kitchen fading to a 30x30cm format, then into the bathroom space getting smaller reaching a 10x10cm format in the shower area. This material gives spatial continuity to surfaces all on one side of the project.

A wide band of rough surface at the top of the wall surrounding the living area unifies and gives character to the space, while hiding lines of diffused led lights above the teal coloured velvet curtains and also along the wall opposite the kitchen, and disguising big reinforcement beams.

The small terrace, that previously had been closed and transformed into bathroom and laundry spaces by blocking one window, has been restored. One of the two windows it’s been reopened, the balcony regained, bringing much more light into the living, and the space formerly dedicated to the washing machine became a built in terrace seat.

On the side of it, a square window has been opened, as a way to give direct natural light from behind to the suspended square bathroom mirror. Two twin structures of black tubes, one on each side of the wall, allow plants to climb around the square opening towards the outdoor side, while on the bathroom side suspend the hanging sink mirror.

The grey tiled bathroom (previously a closed kitchen) also features a bespoke freestanding shower glass bulkhead, and matching black faucets.

Kitchen is open to the living space, raised on a step just like the bathroom area, and the units are black. Kitchen fan is hidden in the false ceiling drop. A small shelf clad in grey tiles hides an additional light.

Access to the master and guest bedrooms is through two original double doors with mouldings that were kept in their place and restored. Rooms are are bright and airy, featuring the same natural oak wooden floors of the living area.

In living, furniture pieces by Kettal and Stua give the finishing touches to the space, while plants bring life to it. A big square planter customized by artist Zaida Sabatés with a “terrazzo” effect, just like the dining table golden leg, adds a sophisticated point.